National Coming Out Day just recently passed, so chances are one of your friends came out. The process of coming out can be an extremely nerve-wracking experience that is not understood universally, but the LGBTQ+ community has become more accepted among the younger generations making it much easier for someone to be comfortable with their sexuality.
I, personally, have had some friends come out to me, and each time I am not necessarily sure on how they want me to react. This exact moment that occurs for many people is excellently portrayed in the recent movie Love, Simon, which is about a senior in high school who is struggling with accepting his sexuality and coming out to his friends. One specific scene shows that coming out should not be this extravagant ordeal.
Whoever is coming out to you is showing that they have a deep trust in you. The person feels completely comfortable with you and making a huge deal out of it can make the situation uncomfortable for the people involved. In the situations I have encountered, I find it better to continue the conversation as casually as possible. Acknowledge what they have just shared with you, but having a huge reaction draws attention to you and the other person which can make them feel uncomfortable and visible to everyone.
Love, Simon also comments on the idea of coming out is only for the LGBTQ+ community. Why do the people in that community have to explicitly state their sexuality when everyone else doesn’t? As I mentioned before, our society has made great leaps towards accepting the differences in people’s sexuality but, the whole idea of “coming out” seems bizarre.
Being gay, lesbian, queer, straight or any other sexuality, is merely apart of who we are as a person. So, having a huge reaction to someone letting you know about a part of themselves, is abnormal. So, why make a big deal about someone having a different interest than you? That doesn’t change who they are or your relationship with that person so its important not to let it changes how you interact with them.